John Edwards, Jr

He graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point and was brevetted 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd United States Artillery on 1 July 1851. He was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 16 March 1852 and promoted to First Lieutenant on 15 February 1855. He was at posts in Virginia and Kansas, on the Utah Expedition (1858-59), at San Juan Island and at Fort Vancouver, Washington to 1860, then on leave into 1861.

He was back east with the 3rd Artillery by April 1861, commanded a battery at First Bull Run on 21 July, and was promoted to Captain two days later. He was honored by brevet to Major for his actions at Gaines Mill, VA on 27 June 1862.

He was in command of the combined Batteries L and M/3rd US Artillery in Maryland, and was brevetted again, to Lieutenant Colonel, for "gallant and meritorious service" at Antietam on 17 September 1862.

He was General Burnsides's 9th Corps Chief of Artillery at the Wilderness on 5&6 May 1864 and at Cold Harbor to 12 June 1864, in command of the Corps Artillery Reserve. He was in Washington DC as an artillery instructor from June 1864 to January 1865, then commanded a battery at Alexandria, VA.

He continued in the Army at Fort Preble, ME and Fort Jefferson, FL to February 1870, when he was unassigned due to an Army reorganization. He was honorably discharged on 7 Nov 1870 at his own request.

His service from Heitman1 and Cullum;2 his Cullum #1508. Personal details from family genealogists and the US Census of 1850. His gravesite is on Findagrave.

12//26/1830; Portland, ME

10/12/1881; Portland, ME; burial in Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, ME